Man with learning disabilities left ‘traumatised’ after knife-point robbery

A vulnerable man with learning difficulties has been left “traumatised” after being punched and held at knife-point during an armed robbery in South Lanarkshire.

The 32-year-old man was standing at a bus stop near Calderwood Square, East Kilbride on Friday at around 11pm when he was approached by two men.

They then threatened him with a blade, punched him and robbed items from him before making off towards Maxwellton Road.

Emergency services took the victim to Hairmyres Hospital and he was released after treatment.

Detective Constable Stuart Burnside, from Cambuslang CID, said: “These despicable individuals preyed on a vulnerable man who clearly could not stand up for himself and has been left absolutely traumatised by what happened.

“This type of abhorrent behaviour will not be tolerated and extensive inquiries are under way to find these criminals and hold them to account for their cowardly actions.

“I would appeal to anyone who was in the surrounding area late on Friday night, who may have witnessed the incident or may have seen two men matching the above descriptions, to please get in touch.”

The first man is described as white, in his mid-teens or early 20s, 5ft 6ins and was wearing a white t-shirt and dark-coloured bottoms.

The second is described as white, in his mid-teens or early 20s, slim, 5ft 8ins and was wearing a dark-coloured tracksuit.

Police Scotland have asked anyone with information to contact Cambuslang CID via 101 and quote incident number 5995 of May 26 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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